A New Family
by Kamije Celeek
Summary: Over seven years ago, Lucy left the guild, pregnant with Natsu's daughter. She raised the little girl, Nashi, far away from Fairy Tail. When Lucy is kidnapped by a mysterious girl, Nashi has to find a way to save her mother and bring her back to the family she comes to love.
1. The Manor

**Attention, my** _ **Fairy Tail**_ **followers! I have returned with a new story!**

 **Now, if many of you will recall 2015, it was what I called my "Year of** _ **Fairy Tail**_ **". That was the year I published** _ **all**_ **of my** _ **Fairy Tail**_ **fanfictions. In that year, I wrote my first "NaLu cliché, Lucy runs away" story that was actually published.**

 **I reread it recently. It sucks. I think a large part of that suckiness is I relied too heavily on references to get me through the story and I was pretty lazy…**

 **Now that I am actually a much better writer, I'm revisiting this cliché and making it better. Again, Ember and Iggy** _ **do not exist**_ **in this story. We got Nashi, baby!**

 **Something else that is important to note is that I'm including two characters from the series I've never included before: Zeref and Mavis. They will have a huge role in the story and Nashi's development.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The manor house was just as she remembered it: large, weather-beaten, neglected, and worn from the battle they'd had within its walls. Despite the years she'd hated there, it held so many memories; some good, some bad, but still memories. It would make a perfect place to live, far away from most other people. It definitely needed some work, but it would all be worth it once it was complete. However, she only had seven months to finish it. Eight months until she became a mother to a little boy or girl. She definitely couldn't do it on her own. She pulled her keys off her belt and found the right one.

"Open, Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"

The pink-haired maid spirit appeared before her.

"Is it time for punishment, Princess?" she asked.

"No, Virgo," Lucy replied. "I need you to help me with a massive project. It's about the manor…" Virgo turned to look at the building, seemingly analyzing what she could do. "I want to fix it up, but we only have eight months to do it. After that…"

"You and Mister Natsu's baby will have arrived, correct?" Lucy stared at the Celestial Spirit.

"How did you know?"

"I can sense the child, growing inside you. They will be strong."

"How did you know the baby was Natsu's?"

"Who else could the baby belong to?" Lucy sighed and shook her head. "At any rate, I've suspected it for a while, now. I believe I am the only one."

"At any rate, will you help me fix up the house?"

"Certainly. I will repair the exterior and then immediately begin work on a nursery."

"I'll get started cleaning out some of the rooms. We can sell the furniture we don't need."

"Brilliant idea, Princess."

The two females worked for most of the day. Thanks to Virgo's excellent work ethic and magic powers, they made a lot of progress. Lucy managed to go through a lot of the furniture and pick the ones she wanted to get rid of. That night, Virgo returned to the Celestial Spirit World and Lucy slept in her old bedroom, which still had many things from her childhood inside. It was certainly strange being back in there after all those years…

The following morning, Lucy woke up and changed into one of her old outfits before eating some of the food she'd brought with her when she'd left Fairy Tail. By the time she finished, she felt fully refreshed and ready to continue her work.

That was before a certain Celestial Spirit decided to pay her a visit.

"Lucy."

She turned to see Loke with a worried expression on his face.

"Loke, I'm fine," she insisted, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"No, you're not. You left Fairy Tail, the first real family you've ever had, and you're pregnant with your best friend's child. What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, you have to. I'm not leaving until you tell me how this happened."

"Loke!"

"I'm dead serious. You're my master, and I hate seeing you unhappy. Now tell me what happened."

"O-okay. It all started with that big party we had, to celebrate Cana's birthday. Remember, the one where Natsu got in a drinking contest with Gildarts?"

"Oh, yeah. I had to help you carry him back to your… apartment… _shit_ …"

"You know I'd been in love with him for ages, and he wanted me… it's my fault…"

"That explains the pregnancy, but not why you left the guild. It doesn't make sense."

"My reason for leaving the guild is because… well…"

 _"Lucy, you_ **have** _to tell him," Levy urged her best friend._

 _"Levy, what if he rejects me and the baby?"_

 _"He won't. I've known Natsu since we were children, and he wouldn't do that. Now go tell him!"_

 _"Okay. I'm gonna do it!"_

 _Lucy headed down to the guild hall, exceedingly confident and a little nervous, too. Why shouldn't she be? Mira was in her normal spot, wiping down the counter._

 _"Hi, Mira!"_

 _"Oh, Lucy! Hi! It's been a while!"_

 _"Is Natsu here yet?"_

 _"He's in the storage room. Why?"_

 _"I just need to talk to him."_

 _"Go on ahead." Mira gave Lucy a suggestive wink. The blonde sighed and headed to the storage room. Before she saw Natsu, however, she heard him and Lisanna talking. Instinctively, she crouched behind some crates to avoid being seen._

 _"Why do we have to have this talk in the storage room?" she heard Natsu ask._

 _"Because I don't want anybody to overhear," Lisanna replied. "Natsu, I… I love you. I have ever since we were kids, and it took me forever to work up the courage to tell you!"_

 _"Really?"_

 _"Yeah. Now that you know, I was wondering if you'd like to be my boyfriend."_

 _"Sure!" Lucy's heart stopped and dropped like a stone. She slipped out of the storage room and ran out of the guild hall. Mira noticed the Celestial Mage's quick departure._

 _"Lucy!" she called, but the blonde was already gone._

I can't stay in Magnolia, _Lucy thought, running all the way to her apartment._ He's happy with Lisanna. I can't ruin that because I made a stupid mistake. _She grabbed a suitcase and stuffed some clothes and food inside. Once she was packed, she thought about where to go. Her family's manor was empty. It was a little rundown, but she could fix it up._

 _First, she needed to officially exit the guild._

 _"Are you certain?" Makarov asked, looking a little surprised._

 _"Positive. I want to leave Fairy Tail."_

 _"All right, then. While I will_ **not** _remove your guild mark entirely, I will fade it in the center so it's nothing but the outline. That way, you will always have a reminder of your time with us."_

 _"Thank you, Master. I'll send one of my spirits with a message once I'm settled."_

 _"Good luck, Lucy. Remember, you can always call Fairy Tail home."_

 _"I will. Goodbye."_

"And yesterday, I arrived here. Virgo and I spent most of the day fixing the place up." Loke could tell that while Lucy was happy to tell her story, she was trying hard not to burst into sobs.

"Lucy, I'm so sorry." The leader of the Zodiac took his master into a hug.

"It hurts, Loke. It hurts really badly."

"You'll be fine. You're one of the strongest masters I've ever had."

"Thank you."

"Now, as for this old place… let's get cracking on cleaning it up a bit more."

Virgo appeared just moments later of her own accord.

"I can continue working on the exterior, Princess," she informed Lucy. "That way, you and Big Brother Leo can do the furniture."

"Good plan, Virgo. Come on, Lucy. We've got work to do, okay?"

"Okay." Lucy went off to the room she'd left off in the day before. Virgo tapped Loke on the shoulder.

"Mister Natsu hurt Princess. Shall I go punish him?"

"He didn't realize what he did. And if anyone's going to beat the crap out of him, it's me."

"If you say so…"

* * *

The manor was completely restored within two months, all the unneeded furniture sold and a nursery set up next to Lucy's room. Loke spent more time with his pregnant master, ensuring that she was almost never alone while she was awake. Then, one day, Lucy had two very unexpected visitors…

Lucy finished folding a baby dress. Virgo had recently informed her that the baby was a girl, so she was going through her old baby clothes to pick out some cute outfits for the coming newborn. The one she'd just finished folding was hot pink with a strawberry stitched on the front.

"Ooh! That's cute!"

Lucy sat up with a start. There, sitting in one of the overstuffed armchairs Lucy had kept, was the First Master of Fairy Tail. Standing beside her was Zeref.

"M-Master Mavis! Zeref!" she stammered.

"No need to be so formal! You can just call me Mavis!"

"Okay, then, Mavis. What are you doing here?"

"First of all, checking on you! Second of all, trying out this _really_ comfy chair! It feels like a cloud!" She sank down deeper.

"Be careful," Zeref warned her. "Don't get swallowed by the chair."

"Oh, you worry too much! I'll be fine!"

Lucy couldn't help but laugh.

"How'd you know where I was?" she asked.

"You sent those letters to Makarov that told him where you were, so we used that to find you!"

"Well, you must know why I left…"

"Yes, and while I can't say I approve, I know why you did it. It was the right decision at the time." Mavis smiled. "At any rate, we aren't going to let you be alone aside from your spirits. We'll be popping in every now and again to check on you so you don't get _too_ lonely."

"Well… thank you. I appreciate it."

"And we won't tell anybody where you are." Suddenly, she sank even deeper into the chair and yelped. "HELP! I'M BEING SWALLOWED BY THE CHAIR!"

"Hold on," Zeref laughed, taking hold of Mavis's hand. He pulled her out without much effort. Lucy burst into giggles.

* * *

True to their word, Mavis and Zeref visited the manor at least once a week. They were good company when her spirits were and weren't around. For Lucy, Mavis was a good source of information about childbirth and its processes, mostly from the First Master having aided several creatures on Tenrou Island in giving birth and a few of Fairy Tail's female members, as well, despite the fact she'd never given birth herself. Needless to say, it was a rather strange time for the mother-to-be…

"You can do this, Lucy!"

The Celestial Mage gripped her spirit's hand as another spasm of pain rolled through her body.

"You're doing well!" Mavis assured Lucy. "The little one's almost ready to come out. On the count of three, I want you to push. One… two… three… push!"

Lucy screamed in pain as she pushed. It took two more attempts, but eventually, a baby's cry filled the air.

"Congratulations!" Mavis declared. "She's healthy!" She handed the newborn to Lucy, who had tears of joy and pride in her eyes.

"She's beautiful…"

"Princess, I need to clean the baby so we can wrap her in a blanket," Virgo said.

"Just a minute… I need to give her a name."

"What will you name her?" Mavis inquired. Zeref reentered the room (he had left once Lucy's labor began) and looked at his niece.

"I'm thinking… Nashi."

"Nashi?"

"The first part of Natsu's name and the second part of mine; that way, she has a bit of both of us wherever she goes."

"Cute!" Mavis squealed.

Virgo took Nashi and cleaned her before swaddling her in a blanket. Lucy held the tiny baby close to her.

 _I wish you could see her, Natsu,_ Zeref thought. _You'd be so proud…_

* * *

SIX YEARS LATER

"MAMA!"

Lucy looked up just in time for a little girl with bright pink hair to come barreling into her.

"Nashi!" she yelped.

"Uncle Zeref's being mean!" Nashi wailed.

"No, I'm not," the black-haired man protested. "All I did was suggest she slow down with her training instead of speeding through it."

"You know she's not going to slow down for a moment!" Lucy laughed.

"I know…"

"Nashi, baby, why don't you go play with your Auntie Mavis while I talk to Zeref?"

"Okay, Mama!" Nashi dried her tears and ran back out of the room. Zeref watched her go and turned to Lucy.

"She's a lot like him, you know," he commented.

"I know. They're so similar sometimes that it scares me."

"Have you told her _anything_ about her father?" Lucy bit her lip and stared at the floor. "What are you going to do? She's going to ask questions."

"Yes, but I'm hoping not to deal with that for another few years."

"You don't have that long. She's already asked me at least a dozen times, and I don't doubt she's asking Mavis right now."

"Oh, Gods…" Lucy sat down in her chair.

"What are you going to tell her when she asks?"

"I'm going to tell her the truth. She deserves to know." He gave her a startled look. "What?!"

"That was… a rather unexpected answer. You've spent almost seven years hiding from him, and now you're going to tell the truth?"

"Only to Nashi. Natsu has Lisanna."

Zeref bit his lip. He couldn't bring himself to tell Lucy that in the time since she'd left, guilt over her disappearance had caused Lisanna to break up with Natsu. It wasn't just that, though; the former dark mage's brother had realized how he felt about Lucy and had been searching for her all over Fiore.

No. He definitely couldn't tell her.

"Good luck," he told the Celestial mage instead. "You know she'll want to know everything."

* * *

"Bye-bye, Nashi!" Mavis told her niece as she and Zeref prepared to return to Fairy Tail. "We'll see you soon!"

"Bye, Auntie Mavis!" Nashi called.

"Okay, Nashi," Lucy giggled. "It's time for bed."

"Okay, Mama…" Nashi headed up to her room and cuddled her favorite doll, Michelle. Lucy came in and tucked Nashi into bed. "Hey, Mama?"

"Yes, Nashi?" Lucy knew what was coming.

"What was my daddy like?"

Lucy took a deep breath and sighed.

"Your daddy was the most stubborn man I've ever met. He was dense, reckless, and destructive, with a bottomless appetite." Nashi giggled. "He was also one of the kindest people I ever met, and he cared about everyone in his life. Some more than others, but he always had them in his heart."

"Was he a wizard?"

"Yes, a Fire Dragon Slayer, like you. You have his pink hair and his smile, too."

"So… why isn't Daddy with us?"

"Your daddy fell in love with someone else when I was expecting you. I thought he'd be happier with her, so I left my guild and had you here. Your Uncle Zeref and Auntie Mavis showed up and started helping me with you."

"What guild were you in?"

"Fairy Tail." Lucy lifted up her right hand and showed her daughter the faded mark. "Your daddy's still a member."

"Did you love him?"

"Yes. So much that it hurt. And he loved me, just as a friend."

"Would he have loved me?"

"Nashi, he would've loved you so much that it would suffocate you. Good night, baby girl."

"Night, Mama."

Lucy turned out the light.

* * *

 **And that wraps up the first chapter! Sorry if it's a little all over the place. I wrote most of this in the car on the way to Universal Studios, so it was hard to think.**

 **Next chapter will introduce the Grand Magic Games, which Lucy will write about for** _ **Sorcerers' Weekly**_ **. We'll also see the main plot set in motion and meet some other kids who are Nashi's age in Fairy Tail!**

 **Until then, so long and thanks for all the fish!**


	2. The Grand Magic Games

**No time for explanations. See y'all in the endnotes!**

* * *

Nashi gasped as she stepped off the train in Crocus. There were so many people! As a child who'd never even left home before, it was pretty overwhelming.

"Mama," she whimpered, gripping Lucy's hand even tighter. "There's a whole lot of people…"

"It's okay, baby," Lucy assured her daughter. "They're all here for the same reason."

"The Grand Magic Games?"

"Yep!"

"Will your old guild be here, too?"

"Of course. Fairy Tail never misses a chance to prove they're the best!"

Lucy picked Nashi up and made her way through the crowd. At the press entrance, a man with light brown hair and sunglasses was waiting.

"Layla!" he greeted her. "You're here! Cool!"

"Hey, Jason."

"And who's this?"

"This is my daughter, Nashi. Nashi, say hello to Jason. He's my coworker."

"Hi," Nashi murmured shyly.

"YES! This will up the cuteness factor of the Games for sure!"

Lucy laughed and showed her reporter's badge to the guards. They let her and Jason pass along with Nashi.

"Cute kid," one muttered.

In the press box, Nashi leaned on the barrier and stared at the arena. Lucy pulled out her notepad and pen while Jason got his camera ready.

"Behave, Nashi," Lucy warned her daughter.

"I will, Mama."

"Cool!" Jason agreed.

* * *

" _Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Grand Magic Games!_ " the announcer said excitedly. " _We've got an exciting first matchup today! Let's meet our competitors!_ " Everyone cheered. " _Our first contestant is an S-Class Requip Mage from Fairy Tail! You know her, you love her, it's Titania Erza Fernandes!_ "

Lucy smiled upon seeing her old friend in the arena, looking ready to take down any opponent.

" _Our second combatant is a Fire God Slayer from the Amazona guild, also S-Class! It's Flame Goddess Summer Solstice!_ "

Summer Solstice was a pretty mage with orange, yellow, and red hair pulled into a bun with two metal chopsticks poked through. Her eyes were bright green and flashed with confidence as she looked at Erza.

"Are you ready to go down, Titania?" she asked.

"Don't be so sure of your victory," Erza replied.

" _You know the rules! Let's have a good clean battle! The timer starts… now!_ "

"REQUIP!" Erza transformed into her Flame Empress armor, ready to fight.

"Good choice," Summer complimented. "But will it be enough? Flame Goddess Smokescreen!"

Smoke filled the battlefield, obscuring Erza's vision. She squinted, trying in vain to find her opponent.

" _It appears Titania is having some difficulty seeing through the smokescreen! I've never seen any fire mage do this!_ "

Suddenly, Summer appeared out of nowhere and hit Erza in the back with a flaming kick, sending her sprawling forwards. Erza whirled around, feeling admiration for Summer's tactical maneuver.

"Not bad, but can you take this?" Erza sent a barrage of swords towards Summer, who dodged them with ease.

"Ring of Fire!" A circle of flames appeared around Erza and Summer, making their battlefield much smaller. "There. Less area to fight means a better show."

"I admire your tactics, but I'm not giving up."

"Good. Neither am I. Confusion Blaze!"

All around Erza, fire and smoke swirled into a hypnotic pattern. The Requip mage found herself unable to look away, giving Summer plenty of time to pull one of her chopsticks out of her bun.

"Flame Goddess Flaming Blade!"

The chopstick turned into a sword, which then lit itself on fire. Summer launched herself at Erza, hitting her with the blade. That fortunately snapped the redhead out of her trance and let her pull a pair of swords out of her storage dimension. Her opponent pulled the other chopstick out and matched Erza's blades.

"GO, ERZA!" Gray yelled. "KICK HER ASS!"

"Language, Gray, dear!" Juvia warned, covering their son's ears.

"You got this, Mama!" little Celeste Fernandes cheered.

The classic sword duel seemed to go on for ages, until…

" _Time's up! It's a draw! Fairy Tail and Amazona are in the top spots!_ "

Erza sighed and Requipped back into her original armor while Summer put out her own fire and turned the swords back into chopsticks, which she returned to her bun.

"That was a good match," Erza complimented. "I'm impressed."

"Thanks, Titania. I'm hoping to fight Salamander. Hopefully he'll be as much of a challenge!"

Lucy finished writing down the details of the battle while Nashi disappointedly stopped staring hungrily at the now-gone flames. Jason was ecstatic; he'd gotten plenty of amazing pictures of the match.

"Wow! Titania's first match ends in a _tie_?! Fairy Tail must being losing their edge!"

Lucy stared in shock. Not only had Erza's match ended in a draw, she'd walked away like it was _nothing_. She'd certainly changed.

Nashi, on the other hand, caught a whiff of something she'd never smelled before, but it was familiar, too. She looked down at the box Fairy Tail was in and saw her Auntie Mavis and Uncle Zeref cheering for Titania Erza Fernandes. Her bright brown eyes scanned the rest of the box until her eyes came to rest on a man with spiky pink hair (the same color her own usually was) standing in between a woman with short white hair and her uncle. He looked happy, but that happiness didn't look real. It was obvious to the six-year-old ( _six_ -year-old!) that he was depressed. She couldn't put her finger on it, but for some reason, she felt like she wanted to go down and give this random stranger she'd never met a hug.

"…right, Nashi?"

The little girl jerked her head up, her cheeks turning the same color as her hair. Lucy was giving her a look.

"Did you hear me?" she asked.

"No, Mama!"

"I said, I left something at the hotel room. You'll be fine while I'm gone, right, Nashi?"

"I'll be fine!"

"Good."

As Lucy walked away, Nashi stared at her mother. For some reason, she'd insisted on making her hair appear brown for the Games. Nashi couldn't help but wonder why. She'd always thought her mother looked like a beautiful princess in a fairy tale (no pun intended) with her long blonde hair. It made no sense why'd she'd want to hide it.

"You know, you may be just a little kid," Jason told Nashi, who gave him an odd look. "But I can tell you're gonna be a real knockout one day, just like your mom."

She gave him a smile.

Unseen by anyone, a girl with dark hair and green-blue eyes watched from the shadows. She smiled as she looked at the six-year-old.

 _Watch out, Nashi Dragneel. Your world is about to change._

Another girl within the arena, this one having dark red hair concealed by her cloak, gasped.

 _I can feel her… She won't succeed in her plan… Fairy Tail will stop her…_

* * *

As the Games wore on, the dark-haired girl watched Nashi and Lucy continuously. The redhead searched for the dark-haired girl, almost always just missing her. Fairy Tail, naturally, stayed in the top spot, with the Amazona guild maintaining their number two position. On the last day, Fairy Tail was declared the winner, and Lucy walked back towards the hotel with Nashi. They'd spend one last night in Crocus before heading home. The mother and daughter laughed as they went, until Lucy held an arm in front of Nashi.

"Something's wrong…" she murmured.

"Oh, how perceptive!" a girl giggled. She emerged from the shadows, a smile on her face. She had dark hair and pale skin, her eyes eerily familiar…

"Who are you?" Lucy asked.

"Just someone who wants a word, Miss Ashley. Or should I say, Miss Heartfilia?" Lucy's eyes widened. "Yes, despite your skillful illusion, I can see who you really are. You and your daughter." Lucy pulled out her keys. "There won't be any need for that, Miss Heartfilia. Come quietly."

"NEVER!" Lucy yelled. "STAR DRESS: LEO!" She appeared in another outfit, this one seeming regal in appearance. She made a bright light shine in the girl's eyes before grabbing Nashi and running a short distance away. "Nashi, I want you to listen. I'm going to be captured by this girl; there's no way around it. You have to go to Fairy Tail and find your father. Don't tell him who you are or who I am. Just get the guild to help."

"Okay, Mama."

"They'll be in a place called Bar Sun. Hurry!"

"Bye, Mama!"

Nashi took off.

"Very good idea, Lucy," the girl said, magic energy pulsing in her hands. "Send the Salamander brat away so that she doesn't see you get hurt."

"I know you're more powerful than I am, so I wasn't going to risk it. But that doesn't mean I'm going down without a fight!"

"I love how you think you can challenge me. It's adorable."

"OPEN, GATE OF THE LION! LEO!"

"Let's do this, Celestial Maiden."

* * *

Nashi kept running. Her legs burned worse than they did during training with Zeref, since they weren't used to the hard cobblestones that lined the ground in Crocus. Every fiber of her body was screaming for her to stop, but she pushed on, tears streaming from her eyes as she panted. Finally, the place she was looking for came into sight. Bar Sun. She managed to run the last few yards and pushed the door open.

"FAIRY TAIL'S STILL NUMBER ONE!" the guild cheered as they celebrated. Natsu was the only one not joining in as they had one of their normal parties.

"C'mon, Natsu," Happy urged. "Join us!"

"I don't feel like it," the fire mage replied gruffly.

"Do you really think sulking is going to make things better?"

"Leave me alone."

"Okay…"

Happy floated over to Carla.

"Give him time," the white Exceed assured Happy. "He's still not over her."

"Yeah, it's not like something's gonna just come through the door and make his life better," Gray agreed.

Suddenly, the door flew open. Everyone turned to see a little girl with bright pink hair standing there, breathing heavily as tears streamed from her eyes.

"Help… Mama…" she panted, before her eyes rolled back into her head and she hit the floor.

"Oh my goodness!" Wendy gasped, running forward and picking the little girl up. "She's completely exhausted!"

"Where'd she come from?" Lisanna asked, kneeling next to the wind mage.

"I don't know, but we can't just leave her." Wendy began using her magic to heal the little girl. When she was done, she collapsed, as usual, and the little girl opened her eyes.

"Who are you?" Mira asked.

"M-my name is N-Nashi," she replied. "P-please, you have to h-help me! My m-m-mama's been k-kidnapped!"

The guild stared at her face. She looked so much like Lucy that it was as if she'd been reincarnated. For them, it was merely a reminder that Lucy was no longer with them, and the possibility of her death.

For Natsu, it was as if Hell was punishing him for letting Lucy get away.

* * *

 **So, if you may have noticed, I published the first two chapters together. This will be the update style for the entire story—two chapters at a time, each at least 1500 words.**

 **I'm doing it like this so I publish twice as much as usual and so you guys have more to read! I hope you enjoy this story!**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	3. Daddy?

**So fair warning: I may not update this story as frequently as some of you may like, but that is purely my fault. I failed a class last quarter, so my parents got so pissed they took away my computer except for schoolwork (until I get my grades up). Pray for me, guys!**

 **Anyway, you are** _ **all**_ **making me SO HAPPY! Every time I look in my inbox, it's like** _ **HOLY SHIT THESE PEOPLE LOVE ME!**_ **I can't wait to see what you people think of the next two chapters!**

* * *

Back at the guild hall the next day, Nashi was comforted by Mira and Lisanna. Natsu kept his distance from the little girl, though, fearful of her resemblance to Lucy. He could still remember the day he found out she'd left...

 _"Hey, Mira!" he greeted the white-haired barmaid. She was busily trying to keep a hold on Natasha and Damien, since Laxus was out on a mission._

 _"Hey, Nat—no, Tasha! Put that down!" Mira was trying to keep her oldest from smashing a bottle. Once she had a hold on the tiny blonde girl, she turned back to the fire mage. "What is it?" she asked._

 _"I was thinking of going on a mission! Lucy's rent is due soon, so you know she'll need some money!"_

 _"Speaking of Lucy, where is she? I haven't seen her in over two weeks…"_

 _"She's probably at her apartment. Where else would she be?"_

 _"Nowhere to be found in Magnolia," Master Makarov replied from his perch._

 _"What?" Mira gasped. Natasha, sensing her mother's grip loosen, wriggled away to wreak havoc elsewhere in the guild._

 _"She left the guild two weeks ago. Lucy came to me to say she wanted to find her own path outside the guild."_

 _"Why would she do that?" Natsu asked. Levy stared at the counter. She hadn't spoken to Natsu since he and Lisanna started dating. She knew exactly why, but_ she _wasn't going to be the one to tell him._

 _"Even though she left without saying anything, she did want to say goodbye. One of her spirits dropped off this letter a week ago."_

 _Erza was shaking as she took the envelope from their master. She opened it to find a lengthy letter from Lucy._

 _"'_ _ **Dear Everyone,**_ _'" the Requip mage read aloud._

"' _ **By the time you read this, I will be gone. Don't try to find me; this was my decision and I want you all to accept it. I have my reasons for leaving, and I want to be alone. I'll miss all of you, and it breaks my heart to think of how you're all taking the news.**_

"' _ **To Mira, you are like the big sister I never had. Keep an eye on those twins of yours, and the rest of the guild, too. You're so strong and I know you can handle anything that comes your way, whether you know it or not.**_

"' _ **To Juvia, despite what you may think about me, I really do love you as a sister. I wish I could be more like you—unafraid to show how I feel, no matter the circumstance. Good luck with the baby, and with Gray, too.**_

"' _ **To Erza, I can't even imagine how much you want to go out and find me. I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you beforehand, but what's done is done. I hope you can be happy, and I wish I could be there to see it.**_

"' _ **To Levy, you are the best friend I've ever had. I think you're the only person I've**_ **truly** _ **told everything, and that means a lot to know I have someone to keep my secrets. I hope you and Gajeel have a happy life together, you two and your baby.**_

"' _ **To Gray, you idiot. Don't scar anyone for life with your habit, and take care of Juvia, you hear? I love you like a brother, and I know you'll be wanting to look for me. Try not to fight with Natsu as much, okay?**_

"' _ **To Happy, I know you're taking this harder than almost anyone else. Despite what you may think about me, I care about you. It breaks my heart to think of how you must feel. Try to smile for me, okay?**_

" _ **And finally, to Natsu. I know you're the only person taking this harder than Happy. You're probably wanting to go out and burn down all of Fiore until you find me. Or maybe not. I hope you can move past me and find happiness. I love you!**_

"' _ **Everyone, thank you for making my life at Fairy Tail so full of fun and light. I'll miss you all!**_

"' _ **Love, Lucy.'"**_

 _Erza's hands shook as she finished reading the letter. Everyone in the guild had tears streaming down his or her face. For once, the guild hall was completely silent. Lisanna covered her face and ran out of the main room._

 _Suddenly, the silence was shattered by Natsu letting out a roar of anguish and punching a column. He stood there, panting, as everyone stared at him._

" _Natsu!" Gray snapped. "Destroying the guild hall won't bring Lucy back! N-nothing will."_

 _The gravity of Lucy leaving hit Natsu like a wave of motion sickness: fast and inescapable. He broke down and sobbed like a baby. Nobody made fun of him. Nobody told him to knock it off._

 _While he didn't exactly come out and say it, he was sure it was_ **his** _fault Lucy had left them. She'd tacked an "_ **I love you** _" onto the end of her message for him, something that made him sure he'd broken her heart somehow, and she still loved him. She'd been right. He wanted to go burn everything in Fiore until he found her._

But he hadn't. Instead, he'd stayed with the guild, trying to fulfill what Lucy had wished—that he would find happiness without her. He tried that by trying to make his relationship with Lisanna work. His heart wasn't in it, but he tried for three years. After that, Lisanna had broken up with him, saying that she knew his heart belonged to Lucy and not her, and she couldn't be with him anymore. She was the only person in the guild who possibly felt almost as guilty as Natsu for Lucy leaving. Natsu had fallen into depression; not even beating Gray in a fight could truly revive his old self.

For the past few years, Natsu had tried in vain to forget about Lucy, but she was everywhere he turned. No matter where he went or what he did, he was reminded of Lucy in some way, shape, or form. Her scent, her smile, even her fiery-in-her-own-way personality. She was constantly in his dreams, always just out of reach.

And now, a little girl had come to haunt his waking life, taunting him with his guilt.

"I'm sure we can find your mama," Lisanna whispered to Nashi, the old feelings of guilt over Lucy washing over her.

"I just miss her," Nashi whimpered.

 _Goddammit! She even_ **sounds** _like Lucy when she cries!_ Natsu thought angrily.

"Well, if you're going to be staying with us until we find your mom, we should at least tell your dad," Gray told the little girl. "Where is he?" To his surprise, she shook her head.

"I never knew my daddy. He doesn't even know I exist."

"Oh, you poor thing!" Mira wailed, hugging the little girl with tears flowing out of her eyes.

"Mom, stop being weird!" Natasha whined. Even at the age of eight—almost nine—she was still the little girl who raised hell in the guild hall. Nothing could _really_ get her to stop, but seeing the way she'd cradled little Nashi for almost an hour really made you wonder.

"There's no way for us to find your mom—at least, not without a scent to follow," Gajeel sighed. Metty and Gale, his twins, looked sad at the thought of their (possibly) new friend never seeing her mother again.

"It's okay," Nashi said, surprising the guild yet again by drying her tears. "I'm gonna be strong for Mama. I know we'll find her!"

 _What the hell is up with this girl?_

"You should have somewhere to stay, at least," Mira urged. "We have some extra room…"

"She's staying with Natsu," Mavis announced, the sound of her voice shocking the guild. She'd been silent ever since Nashi had burst into Bar Sun the previous night. Both the First Master and Zeref had simply looked on as if seeing a ghost. Natsu stared at her with nothing but confusion.

"B-but, First Master!" he protested. "I'm not qualified to take care of a kid!"

"My decision is final! Nashi is staying with you!"

What was most unusual about the situation (besides the fact that someone was trusting a depressed Natsu with another human being) was the way Mavis was speaking. She sounded firm, as if anyone who questioned her authority would be tossed out of the guild.

She wouldn't _actually_ do that, but still…

"Yes, ma'am…"

"I'm glad you agree. Now, in the meantime, Zeref and I will begin researching ways we can track down her mother. Take her to your house so she can get settled."

Natsu sighed. There was really no way out of it, was there?

"C'mon, kid," he told Nashi. She gave him a Lucy-esque smile. He turned around and started walking.

As soon as Nashi and Natsu were gone, Mavis and Zeref vanished, too.

* * *

"So, where's your house?" Nashi asked Natsu as they walked.

He didn't answer.

"What do you like to do?"

No answer.

"I'm going to shut up now."

"You do that."

Nashi felt a little sad again. Natsu was the only person in the guild who could _possibly_ be her father and he was acting as if she were an annoying little bug. She didn't know why. Her mother had said he would've loved her, so _why_ was he treating her this way?

"I… I'm sorry if I made you angry…"

"You didn't. Now be quiet."

The rest of the walk was silent. Upon reaching Natsu's house, Nashi was shocked to discover that the trees outside the house looked like the ones back home, only… even more burned, if that was possible. Natsu unlocked the front door.

"Come inside, kid," he told her gruffly. She obeyed.

The inside of his house wasn't as much of a mess as she'd expected. Sure, there was some trash here and there, but it was overall pretty clean. On one wall, there was a collection of souvenirs, all labelled according to whatever mission he'd been on. Nashi was happy to see her mother's first name—her _real_ first name—written down in quite a few places. It meant Natsu had been close to her mother, making it even more likely he was her father.

"Make yourself at home. You'll be sleeping in the hammock." Nashi sighed and put down her backpack next to the couch. Night was already falling, and she'd eaten at the guild, so she began scanning the wall of souvenirs, trying to find something to talk about.

Then, she got an idea.

"Who's Lucy?" she asked. She watched him stiffen at her words before he whirled around to face her.

"Where'd you get that name?" he growled.

"O-on the w-wall! Her n-name was written d-down so often…" He sighed. He had to give her an answer.

"She was someone very important to me, and that's all you need to know."

"Where is she?"

"I said, that's all you need to know!"

Startled, Nashi fell backwards onto the couch. She felt like burning something to get out her emotions like she did back home, but she knew she couldn't. Natsu looked sorry that he'd scared her, but made no move to apologize. Instead, he tossed a shirt at her.

"Wear that for pajamas," he muttered. "Good night."

Happy gave Nashi an apologetic look before flying after Natsu.

"Natsu!" he snapped once they were out of Nashi's earshot (or so he thought). "She's just a little girl! Just because she looks like Lucy doesn't mean you have to be such a jerk!"

"Look, buddy. Do you know how painful it is to see Lucy's face on another person? I just… I just can't deal with that right now…"

Nashi listened to his voice and felt her heart swell with hope. He really loved her mother, even after all these years. If they could find her, maybe they could be a real family.

First, though…

She had to get her father to warm up to her.

* * *

 **And third chapter done!**

 **I would like to point out that I have very limited hours to work on this (AKA when I can't sleep at two in the morning) so the story is slow. I'm going to work on character interactions next time.**

 **So a quick note about one of the characters introduced in this chapter…**

 **Natasha is what I call a combination character. She's named after my best friend and largely shares the same personality, but has my sister's views on romance—meaning she has no interest.**

 **I'm looking forward to next time! So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	4. Bonds and Blood Ties

**I promised two at a time, didn't I? I think an important note to make is that this story was heavily influenced by** _ **Thank You, Nashi**_ **by flamefairyx777 (my favorite NaLu cliché of all time; they hit all the right points) so if you've read that story, you'll recognize this sequence. I've altered it slightly, but the core points are the same. I just have a hard time writing certain interactions…**

 **Fair warning (wow I use that phrase a lot): we will not be seeing Lucy for a while. I'd say the next update, at the earliest.**

* * *

Nashi blinked open her brown eyes and realized something was on her stomach. She felt like giggling when she saw it was just Happy, curled up like a kitten. He'd decided to let Natsu be on his own; besides, Nashi was much cuddlier, at least to the Exceed.

"Morning, Happy," Nashi told him.

"Good morning, Nashi," Happy yawned, rubbing his eyes. "Why are you up so early?"

"I want Natsu to like me, don't I?"

"He doesn't _not_ like you!"

"I just remind him of Lucy, right?"

Happy was shocked into silence. He'd been _sure_ Nashi couldn't hear him and Natsu talking the night before, but it seemed that she had a sense of hearing like a Dragon Slayer.

"R-right…"

"I had an idea on how to get him to like me. I'll make breakfast!"

"You can _cook_?! You're like, six!"

"Almost seven!"

"Still, we'll be lucky if you don't burn anything."

"It'll be fine, Happy!"

The Exceed watched as the little girl got out some ingredients before starting to cook. She obviously knew what she was doing; up until she tried to reach the flour (Natsu's own skill at cooking had improved). It fell all over her, coating her in a layer of white powder. She sneezed and went to wash it off.

Unfortunately, she'd forgotten about the food already on the stove. It caught fire and she and Happy freaked out. Nashi was about to inhale the flames when somebody else beat her to it.

Natsu.

"What the hell?!" he snapped. "Are you _trying_ to burn my house down?!"

"I-I'm sorry!" she whimpered. "I-I was trying to make you b-breakfast, s-so you would like me m-more…" Natsu's face softened. Even if he didn't want much to do with the little girl, the fact that she looked like Lucy prevented him from being truly angry with her.

"Well, it made some decent flames, at least. I haven't had fire that good in a long time." Nashi's face lit up. "Hurry up and get ready so we can go to the guild."

She got ready faster than he'd expected; that is, she took a lot less time than Lucy ever did. He guessed it was because Lucy was always overly-concerned with her appearance, while Nashi couldn't care less. She slung her backpack on her back and followed Natsu out of the house.

"What's in the backpack?" he asked.

"My favorite snacks. Mama says I have a bottomless stomach."

"People say the same thing about me, only I eat pretty much anything."

"Including fire?"

"Including fire."

"So you love spicy food?"

"Hell, yeah!" He felt a little better talking to her since they had something in common.

"Me, too! Spicy food is the best kind!"

 _Other than fire!_ she added in her head.

"So, if you've _really_ got a bottomless appetite, how about a little contest?" he offered. Really, though, he was testing to see if someone could match him in eating. Nobody had actually been able to do it before, at least not when it came to spicy foods.

"An eating contest?"

"Yep! You eat all the spicy dishes Mira makes at the guild hall, and I'll do whatever you want for the day."

"And if I can't?" Lies, seeing as she eats _actual fire_.

"Then you have to do whatever I say!"

"You're on!" The fire in her eyes reminded him of Lucy again, but in a good way. She had a lot of spunk and a fiery personality to match.

At the guild hall, Nashi ran and sat down first. Natsu slid into a seat beside her.

"Mira, give us two of every spicy dish you have!" Natsu demanded.

"Are you sure Nashi can eat that kind of stuff?" Mira asked, looking concerned for the little girl's well-being.

"I can handle it!" Nashi declared, a determined look on her face.

"Okay, then… if you say so…"

Mira brought out dish after dish, everyone in the guild watching the tiny girl keep up with the infamous Salamander. She wiped her mouth, happy to be doing something with her father that made him happy, too.

"Well, that's it," Mira admitted, holding up her hands. "There aren't any more on the menu."

"I guess I win!" Nashi cheered.

"Hold on, kid," Natsu chuckled. "I wanna see something."

"Natsu…" Mira warned, but he ignored her and lit his hand on fire.

"Let's see ya eat fire."

Nashi felt excited; she hadn't _actually_ eaten fire in weeks.

The rest of the guild, however, was yelling at Natsu.

"Are you _crazy_?!"

"She's just a little kid!"

"How is she supposed to eat _fire_?!"

Natsu ignored them and looked at Nashi. She inhaled the flames, much to the intense shock of the guild. He felt… proud.

"Wow…" he muttered. "I've never met anyone else who's able to eat fire."

"I dunno…" Nashi shrugged. In reality, however, she was ecstatic. Natsu was _proud_ of her!

And his flames tasted pretty good, too…

"I guess you win, then."

"Yeah! I win!" The little pink-haired girl pumped her fist in victory. "And now you have to do whatever I want!"

"Okay… what is it that you want?"

She stopped celebrating and tapped her chin. She thought back to the Grand Magic Games, where she hadn't seen Natsu fight because she'd been distracted by a food cart. Suddenly, she knew exactly what she wanted.

"Can I see you use your magic?!" she asked excitedly. Natsu smirked and cracked his knuckles.

"Sure, kiddo. Do you wanna see it in a fight or just in general?"

"In a fight!" She'd already seen it in general when she was training with Zeref, since it was her magic, too.

"So, who's up for a little one-on-one for the kid?" Natsu asked. Gajeel snickered.

"I'm always up for an opportunity to kick your a—" Gray was cut off by a glare from Juvia, who had her arms wrapped around their seven-year-old twins, Storm and Elsa. "Kick your butt," he finished.

"Let's do it, then!"

* * *

By the lake, Nashi stood with Storm, Elsa, and Juvia, all four prepared to watch the battle unfold. Natsu was ready to go. Gray, too.

"Is Natsu powerful?" Nashi asked Juvia. Juvia smiled.

"Yes, he is," the water mage replied. "He's S-Class, as is my dear Gray. That's not an easy rank to achieve, either."

 _So Daddy's pretty powerful, huh? Mama never told me that…_

"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu yelled, flying at Gray with a flaming punch. Gray retaliated by making a thick ice shield. Nashi grinned. Fire and ice, polar opposites.

"Ice Make: Spear!" The icy weapons went straight for Natsu. Natsu dodged them with ease, but it was at that point Juvia obscured Elsa and Nashi's eyes with her hands while Storm simply covered his own.

"Hey!" Nashi protested.

"Trust me," Juvia murmured. "I'm preserving your innocence. Only adults are allowed to see him like this."

"Who, Natsu?"

"Gray."

Gray, having realized that he'd stripped in front of the kids, quickly got dressed again.

"Maybe Gajeel should've volunteered," Natsu chuckled. "Then we wouldn't have to worry about scarring the kids for life."

"I actually agree with you for once, Flame Brain."

"You're just sayin' that because one of those kids is your daughter."

"That's true, but I really don't want to scar my daughter for life, so good luck."

Now that Gray had his clothes on, Juvia removed her hands from the eyes of the two little girls. Nashi watched as Gajeel came out of the guild, Metty, Gale, and Levy right behind him. Juvia took her twins back inside, leaving Natsu to fight Gajeel.

The pink-haired little girl watched in awe as her father dueled his friend with magic. Now that she didn't have to worry about "losing her innocence" (whatever that meant), she could watch her dad do what he did best: win.

"How was that, Nash?" Natsu panted, once the fight was over.

"That was great!" she cheered, running over and giving him a big hug.

* * *

Mavis had watched everything unfold and guilt settled in her chest.

 _How can I keep this a secret? They have a bond already. It'll destroy him once he finds out who she is._

Zeref looked at his partner and sighed. He could easily tell how guilty she felt. He felt it, too, but even more strongly because he was Natsu's brother and, by extension, Lucy's as well. Mavis was an only child, despite how she treated guildmates, and didn't quite understand blood ties the way Zeref did. While he didn't exactly share blood with Lucy, he _did_ share blood with Nashi because of Natsu, and those blood ties made him want to take Natsu aside and tell him everything.

But he'd made a promise, one he intended to keep.

It was only a matter of time until all was revealed, anyway…

* * *

 **Boom! Done! This chapter actually took the longest to write out of the four, so far. I hope you all enjoyed it!**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	5. The Truth About Dragon Slayers

**I want to thank the guest who pointed out my continuity errors in my previous update. I really need to get a beta reader, but I don't like editing that much. It makes me go back and regret everything. Anyway, in the canon of this story, Nashi is almost seven years old; in fact, we will see her seventh birthday celebrated in the next update. Natsu and Lisanna dated for only a little while after Lucy left, then Lisanna dumped him due to guilt. And if you're wondering why Natsu didn't check the Heartfilia Manor for Lucy, it's because he knew how much she hated the place and didn't think she'd be there. Or you could chalk it up to him being an idiot. Either is okay with me.**

 **That being said, let's check on Lucy…**

* * *

Deep underground, the darkness of her cell was her constant companion. A barrier had been put around her prison, making her unable to summon her spirits or for them to come of their own will. Her captors could still use magic, however, and got some sort of sick thrill from torturing her. Ever since her kidnapping, at least one had come by every day to torment her. It made her angry to know they knew exactly how to push her buttons. Her least favorite had to be the dark-haired girl who'd kidnapped her in the first place.

Zelda Dragonfang.

Zelda was the most frequent visitor to Lucy's cell, and her most dedicated tormentor. She seemed to be trying to get Lucy to do something, and every day Lucy didn't do it was a day of pain. Not enough to kill her, but enough for her to beg for it to stop. Even though Lucy had no idea what Zelda wanted, she tried her best to please her. It never worked.

She kept trying, though.

* * *

"Hey!"

Lucy looked up to see Summer Solstice looking through the bars. She had a look on her face that was more like she'd just come to talk rather than torture.

"Hello," Lucy sighed.

"So, you're the mother of Salamander's child, eh?" Summer asked, sitting cross-legged on the other side of the bars.

"Yeah. Little Nashi."

"I've gotta say, I never expected him to be the type to abandon his best friend."

"He didn't. I left when he started going out with Lisanna so he could be happy without me."

"Happy without you? Sister, he's been lost without you." Lucy looked up in surprise. "You didn't know?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's a lot of talk in the guild community. Natsu and Lisanna actually broke up a few months after you disappeared. He's been searching for you all that time. Some people are saying it's because he realized how he felt about you." Lucy lowered her gaze. She'd stayed away all that time, thinking Natsu was happy with Lisanna when he was miserable without her.

And she'd just sent her daughter towards a depressed Natsu.

"I had no idea…"

"Well, maybe if he wasn't such an idiot, you would have known and your daughter could've grown up with her father."

"No, it was my fault. I let him do it." Summer sighed. She had to tell her.

"How much do you know about Dragon Slayers, Lucy?"

"I know that they get their powers from dragons and are some of the most powerful wizards out there."

"They get more than their powers. They also develop dragon-like habits, such as eating what makes them stronger. And they mate for life."

"What?"

"Dragon Slayers are more complex than God Slayers, but I've done my research. Dragon Slayers only have one mate—their soulmate—and they will only ever love that person and their offspring. You and Natsu are bonded because of this, and that bond is strengthened because of Nashi. Look on your shoulder."

Lucy looked and found a mark shaped like a red dragon. She went to touch it, but Summer grabbed her hand.

"Don't. It's the mark of a Dragon Slayer's mate. If you touch it, with the right amount of pressure, it will call him. Zelda wants him here, but she doesn't want him to come yet."

"Why not?"

"Let's just say that Nashi changed the equation. Look, I love Zelda like she's my mother, but she's sadistic. She wants Natsu to figure out who Nashi is before she brings him here so she can rip away everything he cares about."

"B-but—"

"Lucy, I'm not your enemy. I won't lie to you, and I sure as hell ain't going to sugarcoat it. If you call Natsu before Zelda is ready, she'll kill you before he gets here. You'll never see your daughter again." Tears welled in Lucy's eyes. She was really stuck.

"I need to get a message to Natsu, then."

"I have an idea, but you might not like it. It's part of Zelda's plan. It's a way for you to get a message to Natsu, but we can't do it yet."

"Let me know when we can."

Summer got up.

"Don't worry, Lucy. I'm going to be your closest friend here, but you have to trust that I know what I'm doing."

"I trust you."

"Some things are going to happen that may make you very scared, but you have to be brave, for Nashi's sake."

"I will. Thanks, Summer."

"You're welcome, Lucy."

The Fire God Slayer exited the room.

* * *

 _Fairy Tail…_

On a hill overlooking Magnolia, the red-haired girl from the Games who'd been tracking Zelda stood. She gazed at the guild hall, and at the Salamander and his daughter.

 _He has no idea. I won't tell him, but he'll find out eventually. They all will. First, I need to gain their trust._

The girl closed her eyes and let her power wash over her. She knew what she needed to do. It was all a matter of time and patience.

She had plenty of both.

* * *

"…and then, _BAM_!" Natsu finished. "Lucy knocked Angel into the stream with her crazy spell!"

"Wow!" Nashi marveled. "She sounds awesome!"

"She was." He got a sad look in his eye. "And if I can find her, she still is." The little girl laid a hand on his arm.

"You'll find her, Natsu."

"Thanks, kid."

Suddenly, a strange scent flooded his nostrils. Nashi's, too, even though he didn't know it.

"Somebody's here. Somebody we don't know…"

The doors to the guild hall opened as a person clad in a dark cloak came in. They had their hood up, so nobody could see their face.

"Who are you?" Erza asked, instinctively stepping in front of Celeste.

"Hello, Fairy Tail," the stranger greeted the guild, revealing themselves to be a girl. She pulled back her hood and dark red hair was revealed. She smiled.

"What do you want?" Natsu growled. He formed a shield between the newcomer and Nashi.

"My name is Piper, and I want to join your guild."

Within minutes, Piper was made an official member of Fairy Tail. She refused to reveal what type of magic she used, but she did mention that her magic was unique. They didn't find out what it was for at least a week.

That was when the shit hit the fan and got the ball rolling.

* * *

 **And done!**

 **I have to say, this one was a pain in the ass to write, and I have nobody to blame but myself. I promised at least 1500 words a chapter, and dammit, I'm gonna deliver!**

 **So, with Lucy's bit out of the way for now, next chapter will involve Piper more.**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	6. Battle Royale

**Here's chapter six…**

 **Wow. I've gotta say that this is probably one of the longest stories I've ever published. And it's not even over yet. This chapter will feature Piper's challenge for the guild as well as the foreshadowing to Nashi's seventh birthday, on which day the shit will hit the fan.**

* * *

Mavis: Previously, on _Fairy Tail_ …

Happy: It's been over seven years since Lucy left the guild, and we all miss her a lot. Like, a _lot_ a lot. Then, after the Grand Magic Games, a mysterious little girl showed up at our celebration wanting our help to find her mom! She's living with me and Natsu, and, though they got off to a rocky start, now we're almost like a little family!

Natsu: And now this other crazy girl, Piper, has some sort of challenge for me and a couple of other members of the guild. I'm all fired up!

* * *

"A battle royale?" Erza inquired.

"Yes," Piper replied. "I have a few wizards in mind who I'd like to go against. In fact, I even have a prize in mind. If I win, whoever I pick has to be on a team with me for a week on whatever jobs I pick. If they win…" She gave a little smile and stared at the ground.

"Well, don't leave us in suspense!" Gray snapped. "What do we get if we win?"

"Information. On one of your members, Lucy Heartfilia, and her whereabouts for the past seven years."

The entire guild was silent.

There was a loud _thud_ as Natsu slammed his hand on a table.

"You're on!" he yelled. "And I'm gonna kick your ass, too!"

"My, my. Aren't we eager?"

"He's right," Gray agreed. "Why are you keeping that information from us?"

"I want to see how strong you _really_ are. If any one of the members I select to battle beat me, you win the challenge and I give you the info. If none of you can beat me, I win and keep quiet."

"Do you have anyone in mind?" Erza inquired.

"Of course, Titania. I've selected ten members of our guild." She made sure everyone was watching her before she rattled off the list. "Gildarts, Laxus, Erza, Gray, Gajeel, Juvia, Mirajane, Levy, Cana, and Natsu."

The guys whose names had been called looked entertained, as did Cana, but the girls looked apprehensive.

"Where are we going to have this 'all-out battle'?" Mira asked.

"I'm glad you asked." Piper raised her hands. "Apollo: Arena!"

Suddenly, the guild hall had vanished and they were inside a massive arena. The ten who'd been selected for battle were on the field, while everyone else was in the stands. Piper stood in her cloak, which she'd refused to remove since joining the guild. She took a deep breath and faced her opponents.

"I'm going to warn you here and now: I'm extremely dangerous if you try and trigger my full power. It won't be pretty. Now, who's up first?"

"Might as well get it over with," Levy muttered, running a hand through her hair. "I'll go first."

"Easy enough."

The other nine ended up in the stands with their families (or in Natsu's case, kid-you-were-forced-to-watch-at-first-but-now-she's-like-a-daughter). Levy stood before Piper, ready to try her best even though she knew she would most likely lose.

"Hera!" yelled Piper, confusing the hell out of the audience before she was surrounded by golden light. She stood before them in goddess-like glory, her long red hair now black as night, her cloak turned to a toga of some kind. Although she was still Piper, she appeared to be someone else, too.

"What kind of magic is that?" Levy murmured, her eyes wide.

"This is one of my weaker forms," Piper said, her voice different. It was deeper, more authoritarian. "Hera, Goddess of Marriage and Family. It was the one I chose to fight you with, since you are reluctant to fight me."

Levy shivered. Piper was really powerful, if this was one of her _weaker_ forms.

"I'm ready."

The battle was quick. Way too quick. Levy didn't want to fight at all, especially since her babies were watching. They saw enough violence from their dad as it was. Cana stepped into the arena. Levy hugged her kids while Gajeel snickered.

On and on the battles went. Against Gildarts, she took the form of Athena and kept that form against Gajeel and Erza. Juvia dealt with Artemis and Laxus got Apollo. With Gray, she became Hephaestus, God of the Forge and Fire. Mirajane ended up against Ares.

Finally, it was Natsu's turn. All of his guildmates had fallen against Piper, who'd hardly broken a sweat. She was still in her Ares form, but she smirked and transformed again.

"Poseidon!" she yelled. She took on the form of the sea god, water coursing around her.

"I ain't gonna lose," Natsu growled. "Your sea god form won't do you any good!"

"Poseidon is more than the God of the Sea," she chuckled. "He's also the God of Horses and Earthquakes." She touched her trident to the ground, which began shaking. Natsu did his best to hold his ground, but he could feel his motion sickness coming into play.

"I… won't… lose…"

"Oh, this is too easy. Tell me, Salamander. Did Lucy really mean so little to you?"

Suddenly, Natsu felt his anger flaring up.

"FIRE DRAGON ROAR!" he screamed, sending a volley of flames her way. She screeched in pain as it burned her. "How _dare_ you say I don't care about Lucy?! What the hell do you know?!"

"I know more than you think," she hissed. "I've been watching for years. I know the hell you put her through with your tactless actions. I know that you barely noticed when she left. I know that the only reason you're searching for her is your own gu—"

She was silenced by an impossibly-hot punch to the chest, knocking her backwards. Before she could get to her feet, he kept hitting her. She kept fighting back though.

What she didn't account for was the determination of a desperate Dragon Slayer trying to save his mate.

Finally, he had her on the ground, panting.

"You win," she conceded, holding up her hands in surrender. "I'll tell you what I know."

"You'd better."

"Dispel Apollo: Arena."

They were all back in the guild hall, fully healed of any injuries they'd received. Natsu faced Piper, who was back on her feet.

"Since you're so desperate to know, Salamander, I'll tell you where Lucy Heartfilia had been hiding for over seven years."

"'Had been'?! You mean she's not there anymore?!"

"Where did you search for her, before I tell you?"

"Everywhere I thought she could be!"

"Did she have a home before Fairy Tail?" Nashi asked, tugging at Natsu's vest. He thought for a second—then slapped his forehead.

"The Heartfilia Manor!" he groaned. "She _knew_ I wouldn't look there!"

"Precisely," Piper purred. "She's not there anymore. I'm not sure where she is, but it wouldn't be a good idea to go there tomorrow, as I'm sure you're planning."

"Why not?!"

"Um… Natsu…?" He looked down at Nashi and then remembered what she'd told him a couple days prior.

"Oh, right. Your birthday."

"It'll be my first birthday without Mama…"

"Hey! I've got an idea! We'll take you to the manor tomorrow as a birthday present. Your first mission!"

"Good idea, Flame Brain," Gray complimented. "Don't wanna wait, so you make the kid miss her seventh birthday party. Smooth."

"Shut up, Icicle Head!"

Nashi felt happy as she and Natsu headed home from the guild. Little did they know of the people watching them…

* * *

 **So yeah. Next chapter, Nashi gets to go home for her birthday. This will be the reveal chapter, where Natsu finds out Nashi is his daughter. YAY!**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	7. The Truth Comes Out

**Here we go. Nashi's birthday. We'll meet some more villains, too, since this is the reveal chapter.**

* * *

Nashi gazed out the train window, watching the landscape roll by. Her heart was pounding at a million miles an hour.

She was going home.

Natsu, on the other hand, had been knocked out by Erza so he wouldn't get sick on anybody.

When they'd decided to go to the Heartfilia Manor, a small group of mages had volunteered to go: Erza, Gray, Natsu, Levy, Gajeel, Jellal, Wendy, and Juvia. Their kids, refusing to be left behind, had tagged along. Even now, Gale was eagerly chatting with Celeste about what they might find at the manor.

"It's been a long time since we saw the place," Gray told Juvia pointedly. "Who knows what it's gonna look like."

"Well, knowing Lucy, she most likely had the place fixed up," Levy replied pointedly. "Why live in a place that's super-run-down, you know?"

"At any rate," Erza piped up. "Once we arrive, we've got quite a bit of walking to do. Remember how large the grounds are."

* * *

Within about an hour of that conversation, the train pulled into the station, allowing them to get off the vehicle. Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel recovered from their respective motion sickness and they set off.

The manor, as Levy had guessed, was in fairly good condition. The trees in the garden were scorched, however.

"How did the trees get burned?" Juvia asked, tilting her head. "This looks like something Natsu would do."

"Well, it wasn't me!" Natsu protested. "I haven't even been here for over a decade!"

"We'd better get inside," Erza decided, trying the front doors. "Locked… we'll have to break them down."

"Or we could just pick the lock," Gajeel snorted. He turned one of his fingers into a lock-picking tool and managed to unlock it. "Ladies first," he told Levy upon opening the door. She entered, followed closely by the others.

"THIS PLACE IS _HUGE_!" Storm yelled, his voice echoing. The Dragon Slayers covered their ears in pain.

"Careful," Gray warned his son. "You might break their delicate Dragon Slayer ears."

"SHUT UP, GRAY!" Natsu snapped.

"Let's get looking," Wendy soothed.

They all split up, looking in different areas of the manor. Nashi was the only one who didn't actively search. Instead, she wandered the halls of her home, feeling out-of-place now that she'd met her father.

She remembered every inch of the massive building, a place her mother had hated until it became a safe haven to hide. She wished she could've been at Fairy Tail from the beginning, instead of in a place where she didn't belong. She'd never belonged, no matter what Lucy said. Neither of them really did, and they never would. Not at the manor, and certainly not with the aristocracy.

They belonged at Fairy Tail.

Still, in order for them to truly be a family, Lucy needed to go home.

"Mama…" she whimpered, missing Lucy more than ever.

"Well, isn't that sweet?" a voice said. Nashi looked up to see two female mages. One had short dark hair with a bit of red swept to the left while the other had hair that was blonde in the front but brown in the back. The one with blonde-brown hair looked down at her with an evil grin. "You miss your mama? Well, a little bird told us it's your birthday, so we have a little gift for you." She pulled something out of her vest and dropped it.

Her mother's keys!

Nashi dove and caught the keys before they hit the ground. Her eyes filled with tears as the leg of her jeans tore, scraping her knee. Really, though, it was the fact that they'd taken the keys that was making her cry. That meant they'd hurt her mother; Lucy would never willingly part with her gate keys.

"Aw, you gonna cry?" the dark-haired one mocked. "Maybe your daddy would help you… if he even loved you."

That did it.

Nashi took off down the hall, tears flowing from her eyes. Her blood fell to the floor, creating a little trail. She didn't care, though. She needed something familiar to comfort her. Her room.

* * *

Natsu was walking down the hall. He hadn't seen Nashi in a while, and he was worried she'd gotten lost.

"Nashi!" he called. "Where are you?"

Suddenly, he caught her scent, but there was a metallic tang to it. Blood. Nashi was bleeding. Looking at the floor, he saw a trail of dark red dots leading down the hall. He followed both her scent and the trail until he came to a door. Inside, he could hear Nashi crying. His heart lurched and he opened the door.

It was a little girl's room; that much was obvious. Stuffed animals were on the bed, surrounding Nashi as she cried. The walls were painted bubblegum pink. On the dresser, there was a pretty music box. In Nashi's hands was… Michelle.

"Nashi?" he whispered. She looked up at him and buried her face in her arms. "Nashi, what's wrong?"

"I want my mama!" she choked out. He gently stroked her hair to comfort her before glancing around the room again. It had Nashi's scent, but Lucy's was there, too, just faintly. His eyes rested on the nightstand, where there was a framed photo. In the photo, he could see Nashi and—his heart stopped—Lucy with her arms around her. They were both smiling and he could tell they were laughing.

 _Lucy. Nashi's Lucy's_ **daughter** _?!_

"Lucy," he murmured. Nashi looked up at him with startled eyes. "Lucy's your mom?" She nodded stiffly.

"She-she told me n-not to t-tell you who I a-am…"

He wondered who her father was.

Nashi had pink hair and a fanged smile. She liked spicy food and was able to eat fire. With a jolt, he remembered the scorched trees outside. If she was able to eat fire, that meant she used fire _magic_. Fire Dragon Slayer magic, like him.

With a shaky breath, he realized who Nashi's father was.

It was him.

Nashi was his daughter.

She was still crying. He put his arms around her and hugged her tightly, as if she was going to disappear if he didn't.

"Nashi… why didn't you tell me?"

"Mama told me n-not to…"

"Not to tell me I'm your dad? I'm surprised half the guild didn't figure it out…" She smiled, wiping away a tear. "Does anybody in the guild know?"

"Master Makarov did. Mavis and Zeref know." He raised his eyebrows. "They've been visiting me and Mama since before I was born!"

"They knew where Lucy was _the whole time_?" He chuckled darkly. "I have some ghosts to kill…"

"Silly Daddy!" Nashi giggled. "You can't kill ghosts; they're already dead!"

He smiled and pulled his daughter closer. She cuddled her doll to her chest and smiled back.

"I smell Nashi's blood!" Wendy gasped in the hall. She looked at the drops that led down the corridor. "There's a trail!"

She and the others ran down the hall, following the trail of blood to the room where Nashi and Natsu were on Nashi's old bed. They opened the door to find father and daughter.

"Nashi!" Levy cried, rushing towards her. "What happened to your knee?!"

"I… tripped." Nashi was holding onto Natsu.

"Uh-huh. I'm a mom, sweetie. What actually happened?" Nashi buried her face in Natsu's arm.

"Bad people," she whispered. "Two _very_ bad people. They're part of the group that took Mama…" Levy noticed Natsu tense.

Out of curiosity, Jellal wandered over to the nightstand and picked up the picture of Lucy and Nashi.

"I didn't know you knew Lucy," he remarked. Suddenly, Levy's eyes landed on something peeking out from under the bed.

Lucy's gate keys.

"Where did these come from?!" Levy gasped, picking them up. Nashi leapt up and grabbed them from the Solid Script mage.

The truth dawned on Levy and her eyes widened.

"NATSU, YOU—" she began, but cut herself off when she remembered there were children in the room. "Nashi's yours, isn't she?! Yours and Lulu's!"

Natsu bowed his head, nodding stiffly.

Faster than anyone could've predicted, Erza slammed Natsu to the floor, her eyes blazing with rage.

"How _dare_ you?! You impregnated Lucy and then got with another woman?! Shame!"

"Look, I'm sorry!" he yelped. "All that matters is that I intend to fix my mistake!"

"How?" Gray inquired.

"By finding Lucy and having us be a real family." Nashi's face erupted in a massive grin and she hugged Natsu.

"Do you mean it, Daddy?"

"I mean it, Nashi."

* * *

 **D'awww! The feels!**

 **This chapter sucked. The title of this entire story sucks. I'm regretting this, but I'm going to finish it because I love you guys.**

 **Oh, and in case you're interested, I'm thinking of writing a series based on Shakespeare plays: Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, Midsummer's Night Dream…**

 **Tell me how you feel!**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	8. Birthday and a New Ally

"… _happy birthday to you!_ "

As the guild clapped, Nashi inhaled the flames on her candles. Mira cut into the cake—a massive, sugary masterpiece that was big enough for everyone in the guild to have two pieces. Everyone was excitedly talking about what they'd just found out—the truth behind Nashi's identity. Even so, they made sure that celebrating Nashi's first birthday with her Fairy Tail family was top priority. Natsu had put off his Mavis-Zeref interrogation/furious rant until the next day so he could spend the rest of the day with his precious daughter.

 _I have a daughter_.

Finally, he understood all the hubbub around kids; they were amazing beings. A little bit of you, but still their own person. Nashi had a little bit of him and a little bit of Lucy, but he could tell she wasn't a carbon-copy of either of them. She had Lucy's spunk but a certain naiveté that was all her own. She had his fiery temper but a slightly cooler head when it came to defending herself.

He couldn't be prouder.

"Hey, Daddy!"

He looked up to see his little girl holding a stuffed dragon.

"Look what Auntie Mavis gave me!" The excitement on her face was priceless. He knew he wasn't letting her go, or Lucy, either.

"That's awesome, Nash!"

"Mm-hmm!" She ran off to hang with the other kids. Natsu watched her go, feeling nervous about being her dad for real.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Gildarts—possibly the only person in the guild who could understand how he was feeling.

"Hey, Gildarts," he greeted the older man.

"At least your kid actually thinks of you like a dad," Gildarts chuckled. "I'd give anything for Cana to call me 'Daddy' at least once."

"Well, Nashi's only seven, so…"

"Very funny. Just because _my_ little girl was eighteen when I found out she was my daughter and yours is still a little girl—" The 'Ace of Fairy Tail' cut himself off. "Never mind. You win there."

"Really? Nashi's a handful."

"Trust me. You'll never get these years back. Enjoy 'em while you can."

"SHUT UP!"

Natsu jerked his head up to see Nashi glaring at Storm while Celeste and Elsa held her arms, keeping the little pink-haired girl from attacking. Storm was smirking at her triumphantly.

"LET ME GO!" she spat. "HE NEEDS TO BE TAUGHT A LESSON!"

"Oh, yeah, Bubblegum Head?" Storm taunted. "Let's see you try!"

So quick that it seemed impossible, Nashi wrenched away from her friends and landed a punch square on Storm's jaw. He reeled back in shock; he hadn't expected her to _actually hit him_! She stuck out her tongue.

"Take _that_ , Water Boy!" she sneered.

"Oh, dear…" Mira murmured, shaking her head. "They take after their fathers, all right…"

* * *

"Thanks for talking to me."

"Not a problem!" Mavis replied, bouncing on her heels. Zeref placed a hand on her head to steady her.

"So, I have one question…" Natsu sighed.

"Fire away!"

"HOW THE HELL COULD YOU KEEP THIS FROM ME?!" Mavis squealed and fell backwards into Zeref.

"It wasn't our secret to tell," Zeref explained calmly to his younger brother. "We didn't tell you because Lucy wanted it that way. We promised to keep it a secret."

"To hell with that! Nashi's _my_ daughter, too!"

"And my niece!" Zeref shot back.

"I'm gonna go…" Mavis mumbled, heading for Natsu's house.

"I missed almost seven years of Nashi's life because of one stupid mistake, and it's because Lucy didn't want me to _know I was a father_?!"

"She thought you were with Lisanna and that you were happy. I didn't have the heart to tell her when you two broke up." Natsu groaned and sank to the ground.

"I just want her back."

* * *

"Good job, you two."

Zelda smirked at the two mages. Violet was staring blankly, as usual, while Rose had an evil expression.

"The seed is planted. Now all we need to do is wait for Salamander to come for his precious mate."

"How do you know he'll come?" Rose inquired.

"Dragons are monogamous. They have one mate for life, and they'll do _anything_ to protect them. Imagine what would happen if one had its mate killed right in front of its eyes."

"Master Zelda, you are _deliciously_ evil."

"I know, Rose."

Summer listened, her hand over her rapidly-beating heart.

 **Murder?!** she thought. _Murder was never part of the plan! Lucy's going to die and never see her daughter again… unless I fix this._

That sealed it.

 _To Fairy Tail, then._

She walked towards the exit.

"SUMMER!"

The fiery-haired mage turned to see her own daughter, Winter, running towards her. Winter had long, wavy, dark blue hair that had streaks of white and gold.

"Where are you going?" the young girl asked.

"I'm going on a job."

"Where?"

"Nonya Business."

Winter giggled. Summer ruffled her hair.

"Be good for the guild, okay?"

"Okay… Bye, Mommy."

Summer exited the guild hall.

 _Every child deserves a mother and a father. I'm sorry you couldn't have that, Winter, but Nashi can. Her father's not a complete and total asshole like yours._

* * *

"We haven't had any luck," Natsu groaned as he thumped his head on the counter.

"We'll find Mama, Daddy," Nashi assured him, patting her father's head.

"Thanks, Nash." Natsu went to talk to Erza and Gray, leaving Nashi by herself.

 _Nashi._

The pink-haired girl felt confused at the voice in her head.

 _ **Who are you?**_ she asked in her head.

 _Who I am isn't important. Just know that I'm a friend._

 _ **How do I know I can trust you?**_

 _Because I know where your mother is, and she's in danger._

 _ **Danger?!**_

 _Yes. I'll be arriving at the guild in just a few minutes. Meet me outside and I'll come in with you. You have to trust me._

 _ **Okay, stranger. I'll trust you, but those guild doors are staying open, okay?**_

 _Good choice._

Nashi went outside. Within a few minutes, a woman in a cloak arrived. She lifted her hood to reveal red-orange-yellow hair and Nashi gasped.

"Summer Solstice?!"

"Bring me in, Nashi. They'll trust me if I'm with one of their own."

Nashi led Summer inside. Once the doors were closed, Summer took off her hood and the guild stared in shock.

"What's she doing here?" Erza asked in a low voice.

"Titania," Summer replied. "I have information for all of you. It's imperative that you hear me out."

"You have ten seconds," Natsu growled.

"I know where Lucy is, and who kidnapped her in the first place."

"Tell us!" demanded Storm, who was quickly shushed by Juvia.

"My guild master, Zelda Dragonfang of Amazona, kidnapped Lucy out of the blue after the Grand Magic Games. Since then, I have kept my mouth shut out of fear for my life and that of my own daughter. However, I can't keep quiet anymore, not after what I heard. They're going to kill her."

"NO!" Natsu yelled.

"Zelda…" Piper snarled, balling her fists.

"We have to hurry. I can take you to Amazona. We'll save Lucy together."

* * *

 **And that concludes chapter 8.**

 **Wow, it's been almost three months since I updated this story.**

 **Well, so long and thanks for all the fish!**


	9. Tragedy in Battle Part 1

**In good news, I'm not dead!**

 **I'm sorry I've been gone for so long. I've had marching band competitions and stuff, plus my old computer got busted. I'm not joking. It was my fault because I'm an idiot. Also, I've had major writer's block on this story. It's a chronic problem, but I promised I'd see this story through to the end, so here we go.**

* * *

If there was one word any member of the Amazona guild associated with their master, it was _fear_.

Zelda Dragonfang was undoubtedly one of the most terrifying people in existence for many of them. She was calm in most situations, but it was the kind of calm that made you scared of what she could do if she was angry. And if she was angry, she was ruthless. It didn't matter if you were friend or foe; you'd end up with at least a broken bone and at most, she'd kill you. That was why every member of her guild took special care not to piss her off. They knew what would happen if they did. Sometimes, those who were in the room when she got angry were hurt, even if they weren't the direct cause of her anger.

Hence why they were staying out of her way.

"THAT BITCH!" Zelda yelled, breaking a wall. "I TAKE HER IN AND WHAT DOES SHE DO?! SHE _RATS ME OUT TO THE ENEMY_!"

Winter shivered, silently knowing who Zelda was talking about.

Summer.

"ROSE! VIOLET!"

Zelda's two most loyal mages came forward, each not wanting to stoke the flames of anger.

"Yes, milady?" Rose asked.

"Prepare the defenses. Summer is leading the Fairy Tail guild directly to us. Traitor."

Winter felt tears pricking behind her eyes.

 _Be safe, Mama_.

* * *

The Amazona guild hall was built into the side of a mountain, the Fairy Tail guild members soon learned while following Summer. At her insistence, they'd brought along the Sabertooth and Lamia Scale guilds as well. Lyon had been shocked to see her, which confused everybody when he jumped back and screamed like a little girl. Summer had simply bit her lip and explained her plan.

"This place won't be easy to take down," Jellal observed. "Undoubtedly your guild has put many measures in place to keep intruders out."

"She knows," Summer murmured.

"She knows?" Gray repeated in confusion.

"Zelda knows I got your guilds. She's furious." She self-consciously rubbed her right shoulder, as if it were burning. "I can only hope she hasn't unleased it yet."

"On who?!" Natsu asked in a panic.

"Lucy will be fine. She won't hurt her… yet. More than likely, one of the lesser guild members will be the recipient."

"Damn."

Summer lifted her cloak to reveal her guild mark on her right shoulder. She pressed it to a well-concealed Lacrima that nobody had noticed until now and a door opened. Her eyes shut, as if to prepare herself for entry, before she turned to face the army of mages.

"All right," she sighed. "We are about to enter a guild of highly-trained and deadly female mages. You've seen them when they're competing, but when fighting for real, they fight to _kill_. They are merciless and won't back down unless killed or rendered unconscious. We do have children within, so some of us may want to get them out before things get too hairy. Otherwise, keep as safe as possible."

Everyone nodded.

"Right. Let's go."

They entered the guild hall, descending underground. Everybody was on their guard, fully prepared for whatever came their way. Natsu felt nervous about seeing Lucy again. The last time he'd seen her, he'd gotten her pregnant. How would she react to seeing him again? Would she turn him down, thinking he was still with Lisanna? Or would she accept his apology and return to Fairy Tail so they could be a real family?

He would find out.

Suddenly, Summer began screaming in pain, holding her guild mark.

"IT BURNS!" she sobbed. "OH, GODS! IT BURNS!"

"Serves you right, Sum-Sum," giggled a voice.

They looked up to see a girl with blond and brown hair. She had a wicked grin on her face.

"Traitor!" the girl spat. "Traitors _burn_ , darling!"

"You… can't get me… that easily, Rose!" Summer groaned, staggering forwards. She pulled one of her metal chopsticks out of her hair and turned it into a flaming blade. "Fight fair, bitch!"

"Oh, of course! But you'll have to catch me first!"

Rose took off down the hall as Summer fought through the pain and ran after her. Not knowing what else to do, the guilds followed the two and came to a large room. All around were mages armed for battle. Quickly, they descended onto the group.

"Face it, Summer!" snarled Rose as they crossed blades. "You and the Dragon Slayer Mate are going to die. And then who knows? What about Winter?"

"DON'T YOU _DARE_ TOUCH HER!" shrieked Summer.

Natsu got in between them as a cry came from the cluster of children escorted by Wendy and Carla.

"MAMA!"

"NO, WINTER!" Summer called. "STAY BACK!"

* * *

Meanwhile, in Lucy's cell, she could hear the battle raging outside. She clutched the bars in hopes someone would come open the door so she could help. She still had her whip, after all, and the Lucy Kick was in top form.

"Now, dear," Zelda laughed, appearing behind the Celestial Mage. "We see how far we can push your dear Dragon Slayer."

"What?!"

"Come!"

Zelda yanked on Lucy's hair, making her scream in pain as they appeared in the middle of the battle. Natsu stopped fighting at the sound, as Zelda jabbed something into Lucy's neck. Immediately, the blonde fell limp and lifeless as Zelda dropped her.

Natsu rushed forwards and caught his beloved just before she hit the floor, his heart stopping for a moment.

"Luce?" he whispered, cradling her body. He couldn't hear her heartbeat, or her breathing.

Lucy was dead.

* * *

 **Like I said, I'm running out of steam on this story. Three chapters to go, and I'm not updating two at a time with the bad writer's block I'm having. Sorry for the lack of action, but I suck at writing that. I'm more drama and romance than fistfights.**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish.**


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